


Alternative Healing

by zenkitty555



Series: Alternative Living [1]
Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Doctors, First Dates, First Meetings, Fluff, Frottage, M/M, Oral Sex, Showers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-02
Updated: 2017-03-02
Packaged: 2018-09-27 20:40:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,247
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10048388
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zenkitty555/pseuds/zenkitty555
Summary: Non-Magical AU: Stephen Strange learns a thing or two about judging a book by its cover when he meets Doctor Karl Mordo and his staff. In the process he learns to let go of some of his pain.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This can be read as a one shot or a prequel to Alternative Therapy. It takes place a few months after his last surgery. Also the depiction of the legal system is not accurate in any way shape or form.

Stephen Strange was sentenced to a hundred hours of community service for what was, in his opinion, a relatively minor offense. His defense lawyer thankfully had pleaded the sentence and charge down, but he knew that the prosecutor and judge were trying to make an example of him. It was a miracle he hadn’t lost his license, and he was allowed to serve his probation through a local free clinic. It wasn't as a doctor, but as some kind of grunt worker. He’d be working under a random general practitioner named Karl Mordo. Stephen had never heard of the guy, as he was probably not very good. When Stephen googled him, it seemed that he had gotten his degree overseas. Stephen walked into the place unimpressed, but grateful he wasn't cleaning up road sides.

“You must be Doctor Strange. I’m Wong, and you’ll be under my supervision,” he said.

Stephen was taken aback. 

“Oh, they told me I’d be under Doctor Mordo.”

“Doctor Mordo is my supervisor, so It’s not entirely wrong. However, I run the day to day operations. You will be scanning and cataloguing records from the 1970’s onward in compliance with recently enacted legislation. I will show you how, and if you have any further questions, you best make sure that I haven't covered them before. Any questions?”

“Is it just Wong? Not Mr.Wong or Doctor Wong?” Stephen asked.

“I am a specialist in health law, not a doctor.”

Stephen guessed it was just Wong then. He looked at the man, who seemed to lack  any emotion while talking. Wong was actually a little intimidating and reminded Stephen of a professor he once had. He made a mental note not to get on the man’s bad side.

After they had gone through the process of how to scan and catalogue each file, Wong left Stephen with a huge stack of folders in front of him. It was just the tip of the iceberg, and Stephen could tell that it was an ongoing project that would continue long after he was gone. He sighed as he set out on his task. It was annoying to think he would be doing this for the next five hours. 

Somewhere around hour three, his hands started to really hurt, and he had to take a break. Although Wong hadn’t showed him around, he managed to find the little break room with a water cooler. He took a cup the cupboard, and examined it. There was a coffee stain at the bottom, and Stephen shook his head in disgust. 

“I wouldn't use that if I were you.”

Stephen turned around. It was Doctor Mordo. He recognized the man from the picture on the clinic's website. 

“Sorry. I just need some water.”

He may have stared too long. The picture on the website did the man little justice. The man’s smile was pleasing, and there was a kindness about his face. The picture on the website looked like a driver's license, very stoic and unattractive. This man was very attractive, even with the scars on his face. 

Doctor Mordo reached over and took a cup from a different part of the cupboard, handing it to Stephen, who examined it. 

“I’m Karl by the way. You must be Doctor Strange.”

“Stephen.”

“Coffee?” Karl asked.

Stephen looked at the man holding the pot. He really wanted some, but shook his head.

“I can’t.”

Stephen held up a hand. Caffeine irritated his injuries more, so he had switched to drinking caffeine-free herbal teas or water. 

“Ah, I had read about that.”

“When it happened or in the police blotter?” he joked.

Karl laughed slightly, shaking his head. Over the past few month's Stephen's sense of humor had become very dark and very few people found him amusing. Stephen looked at the man with surprise, as most would just go silent, unsure how to react.

“If you have any questions, feel free to ask myself or Wong,” Karl added.

Stephen nodded, filling his cup with water. Karl gave him a light pat on the back before exiting the room. 

This place was weird. It had a very office feel to it, or what Stephen imagined an office would feel like, as he had never worked in an office. 

He went back to his work, alone and in silence for the rest of his time there. In a way it was a humbling, meditative experience, despite his physical discomfort.

The next time he came, he saw the few workers in the clinic were gathered in the  break room, and he tried to sneak by quietly. He had no interested in interacting with anyone, especially since they would probably ask too many questions about his past. 

“Stephen, you came at the perfect time. We’re having cake for Tina’s birthday,” Karl called.

Stephen turned to see all of them looking at him. He couldn’t escape it now, and he only hoped that they would still sign off on his hours for the day without making him work more. 

There were rounds of introductions, and Stephen promptly forgot everyone’s name except for Daniel, and only because he eerily looked like a flame from Stephen’s days as a medical resident at Columbia Med. They all seemed like a close knit bunch, and Stephen felt weird to be in a place where they were not constantly in competition. It almost seemed like a family in a way, a temporary family for eight to ten hours a day. Some point before they disbanded, Stephen felt a little pang of jealousy about how they all seemed to like one another. 

Karl pulled him aside as the others were exiting.

“I know what you’ve been doing here is not very enthralling or by choice, but we do appreciate your effort. I hope for the remaining weeks, you’ll find it a comfortable place to be.”

Stephen didn’t know how to respond to his kind words. 

“Uh, thanks, I guess.”

With that, Karl left the room, and Stephen turned his attention to the pile of folders that had only seemed to have grown over the time that he had been absent. Wong must have refreshed the pile before he had arrived. 

Stephen closed his eyes. It really was a tedious punishment, as he had to manually enter some of the information after he scanned the documents. The database was old looking, nothing like what they had at Metro General. He couldn’t expect much more from a free clinic, but it was still a confirmation of how far he had fallen. 

“Strange,” Wong greeted him, “If you need more files, they are in the back.”

Stephen looked over the pile at the man. He wasn't quite sure if Wong was a sadist, or just passing on information.

After a few hours his hands started to betray him. He sat for a second, gripping them, debating on whether to take more over the counter pain medication for them. It didn’t really help, but with the terms of his probation, he couldn’t risk anything stronger. 

“Is the pain flaring up?” 

Stephen looked up at Karl standing over him. He nodded. Karl looked down at Stephen’s hands, and then grabbed them. Slowly, he started to apply soft pressure to certain areas, and then judging from Stephen’s reaction, would apply greater pressure to areas that weren't hurting. With his vague recollection of eastern medicine, many of the areas contained the so called ‘pressure points’. He hadn’t put much faith into those practices, even when he sought them out to help him. 

Stephen groaned from the sensation; his touch felt good and was actually helping with the pain a little. 

“Oh god. How are you doing that?” Stephen asked.

“It's a trick I learned. I like to practice various martial arts, so normally it's my legs that hurt, but sometime my shoulders as well. I tend to do it in the shower, or at a sauna. The heat helps relieve the pain. You should try it sometime.” 

“I’ve tried massage therapy before, but it didn't work.”

Karl looked at him seriously.

“I’m guessing strangers don’t relax you. You need someone you can trust, or at least feel comfortable with.”

Stephen thought about it. It was a little surprising that a western doctor would recommend practices that most in the medical field saw as gimmickry. However, Stephen’s hands were feeling better, even though he was starting to feel a bit uncomfortable about the extended administration of the techniques.

“I’m surprised, normally people don’t put much faith in those practices,” Stephen ventured.

“It’s amazing how little people still know about the human body, but you know that being a neurosurgeon,” Karl remarked.

“Being a former neurosurgeon,” He corrected.

Karl looked at him.

“You’re still a neurosurgeon, even if you don’t practice. You don’t forget everything just because you can’t do it anymore. I can also tell, you haven't let that part of you go yet,” Karl reassured.

Stephen looked at the man. There was no pity, nor any judgement in his expression, as if it were a mere fact. He appreciated it.

Stephen looked away as he felt the heat rise up into his face. Karl’s words and the technical touches to his hand were the closest he had felt to another person in a long time. 

“Doctor.”

“Yes?” They both replied.

“Sorry. Habit,” Stephen apologized. 

Karl smiled at him as he got up to attend to whatever he was needed for. Stephen, feeling a bit better, turned back to his task. 

Over the next few weeks, he had become a bit more at ease around the people at the clinic. Even Wong seemed to relax a bit more around Stephen, and recognized that Stephen could scan documents and input information without much babysitting. Then there was Karl, who he spent the most time with. After the day that he had helped Stephen with his hands, Stephen began to relax around the man. He appreciated the company, and they were becoming friends. Karl would sometimes bring him a cup of tea when he was busy trying to work down the pile of documents. He also laughed at Stephen’s jokes, which no one else did. For the longest time Stephen thought he was funny, but no one here seemed to understand his sarcastic sense of humor.

He only had a few more days left of his community service, and he felt a bit apprehensive of his time ending. He started to like these people.

“Stephen, do you want to get some food tonight?” Karl asked.

Karl curled around the door frame to wait for an answer. They hadn’t been able to talk earlier as the clinic was busier than most days. 

“Sure. There’s a good Thai place around the corner,” Stephen suggest.

“Great.”

It had been a long time since he went out to eat with someone, as he really didn’t have the financial means or even know enough people he wanted to have dinner with. Stephen knew that Thai place would not disappoint. 

Stephen had to wait a bit for Karl, and eventually they were able to go after everyone else had gone. Karl had a gym bag with him and had taken off of his sweater. He look semi-casual with his buttoned green dress shirt and pair of jeans that he had changed into earlier. The clothing was more appropriate for the warm night air as opposed to the air conditioned office they had come from. The seasons were changing, and the air was starting to get heavier with humidity of summer. 

“What’s in the bag?” Stephen asked.

“Clothes. I like to wake up with some Thai kickboxing in the morning. I was surprised you suggested Thai food. I think I know the place you were talking about. It’s quite authentic for New York,” He said grinning.

“Wow. Isn’t that pretty intense? I mean about the kickboxing. It’s pretty dangerous isn’t it?” 

“Only if you don’t know what you're doing. There are accidents, but normally you learn slowly to prevent injury. I’m not competitive, although I do occasionally appreciate a good sparring match,” Karl added.

Stephen looked at the way Karl’s clothes hugged him. It was obvious whatever he did at the gym worked in his favor. 

“Have you ever been to Thailand?” Karl asked.

“No, haven’t had the pleasure. How about you?”

“I spent my gap year bumming around Asia, learning as many kinds of martial arts as I could. I like it now, but I was crazy for it back then.”

“Is that where you picked up that stuff you did to my hands?” Stephen asked.

“Yes, and just trial and error. Like I said before, my legs and shoulders often hurt. I’m an old man now,” He laughed. 

“You can’t be older than me,” Stephen replied.

“You’re an old man too,” He teased.

There was a wickedness about Karl’s smile. Humor always seemed to be lurking in his expression. Maybe Stephen was just reflecting his own desires upon the man, as he really enjoyed his company. 

The night was really enjoyable, and after dinner, Stephen didn’t want it to end. He sat with Karl outside on a bench in a nearby park.

“Do you want to go get some drinks?” Karl asked.

He looked at Karl, really getting a good look at the man’s face. He had the most beautiful mouth, and nose, and eyes, and the shape of his jaw was just perfect. Stephen swallowed hard as he couldn’t stop staring. It was surprising that he felt this way about his friend, who had shown him nothing but kindness, and encouraged him in ways others didn’t. Karl always listened to him carefully and reacted to whatever he was saying animatedly. 

Then it hit him that Karl was interested in him. It wasn’t friendship, it was romantic interest. He was surprised he didn’t pick up on it before. 

“I, uh, can’t drink, but I can get a club soda, if you want to.”

“Yea, okay. Let’s go.”

_ I am on a date. I am on a date now, and I had no idea. What the hell is wrong with me? _

Stephen followed him to wherever they were going, but it didn’t matter, because he was with someone he was interested in, and who obviously was interested in him too. His heart was pounding at the revelation. 

When they got to where they were going, they sat in a corner of the bar. There weren’t many people, as it was Wednesday. It was secluded, and quieter than some of the other dive bars in the area. They were able to talk to one another easily. 

When Karl was telling him some story about when he was starting as a general practitioner, Stephen slid his hand across the table and put it on top of Karl's. He heart seemed to stop for a minute as looked at Karl for his reaction. Karl went quiet for a moment and then continued his story. Stephen tried to concentrate on the story harder, ignoring all the other thoughts filtering through his brain at the moment. He thankful managed to laugh at the right moments, and reply when needed. 

“I want to see you again,” Karl said.

His hand was now on top of Stephen's.

“I wouldn't object.”

“I’m not going to lie Stephen, I’m a difficult man to please. I’m not looking for anything short term. I need stability, so if you see me, you only see me.”

Stephen nodded, his eyes meeting Karl’s.

“That sounds perfect,” Stephen responded.

He knew that these days people didn't want to date or even be in a more traditional relationship, but Stephen was tired of living like that. 

“Friday night. I know of a good Romanian place on 40th. I’ll text you the details later.” 

Karl reluctantly let go of Stephen's hand as he went to go pay the tab. Stephen didn’t want the night to end. When Karl came back, Stephen stood up and kissed Karl, who returned his attentions. 

\----

Stephen replayed their parting kiss over and over again in his head for the remainder of the week while he waited for Friday. He tried to hold on to the memories of Karl’s soft mouth, and the way that he tilted his head up and slightly to the right to meet Stephen. Then there was his firm and slightly roughened hand that came up rest on his cheek. 

Stephen had been unable to focus at his real job, thinking about his next date. Thankfully, his clients didn’t notice. Since he started consulting, it was still hard to make enough money to live by himself, but he couldn't bring himself to live with others. It was a tedious business, but he had no other option in his mind.

Stephen made sure he was ready Friday, and he tried hard to dress to impress. He made sure that he wasn’t too casual, and wasn’t to formal, just the right balance. The only problem was his beard. He didn't want to keep it, as it made him feel old and grizzled. It took him a while to hack it off and shave it down. Luckily he still had a electric shaver amongst his belongings that he had managed to get back from Christine. 

When he showed up to their date, Karl looked at Stephen and only after a few seconds did his eyes reflect that he knew Stephen. Karl looked similar to how he did on Wednesday, except in a different color shirt.

“Hey,” Stephen said.

“You got rid of the beard,” Karl remarked.

“Well figured I’d try to rejoin the world. Normally Friday night's are takeout and Netflix.”

Karl ushered them through the door of the restaurant, where they were greeted with a warm welcome. A woman, most likely the owner, came up to Karl and started speaking to him in what he guessed was Romanian. He responded back and they had a laugh together. 

“This one is for my daughter, yes?” She asked in English.

She came over and touched Stephen on the side of his arms.

Karl laughed, responding back in Romanian, and she shook her head in response. She then showed them over to a table Karl must have reserved.

Stephen was surprised. 

“You speak Romanian very well. Although, I hope I haven’t just been engaged to someone.”

Karl laugh.

“If you come often enough you will be. I have almost been married off to a distant cousin several times. The community is small, so everyone knows everyone. She’s a family friend who knew my parents from the old country,” Karl explained.

Karl was an interesting man, and Stephen was sure that he would have many interesting tales to tell. As they got to know one another better over dinner, they slowly started to open up about their early years. Stephen was quite touched that Karl felt comfortable enough to take him to this restaurant that he obviously had a strong connection to, but he wasn't sure he could open up in the same way. He tried to open up a bit, but he hadn’t ever really done it with another person before, so it was mostly superficial. Karl seemed to be patient with him, despite his awkwardness, which made Stephen just want him more.

When they had finished dinner, and managed to run away from the matron of the establishment, they took a walk to Bryant Park nearby. 

“I think you should come home with me,” Karl suggested, as they made their way to the subway.

“Are you sure you want to break with third date tradition?” Stephen joked.

Karl rolled his eyes.

“I think we can skip the stereotypical dating magazine advice. Unless you don’t want to.”

“No! I want to.” 

“Well, I’m glad.”

The trip seemed shorter than it actually was, but the walk from the subway station to Karl’s apartment was a lot longer than Stephen thought it would be. Stephen made sure to walk closely, occasionally brushing his hand against Karl’s. It was comfortable. 

“I have to warn you. It’s not a big place,” Karl said, unlocking the door.

He pushed open the door. The place wasn’t too small, and it seemed newer than Stephen’s apartment. However, he didn’t really have time to notice, as Karl was already removing his shirt. Karl really cut to the chase as he then began to unbutton Stephen’s shirt after disposing of his own. Stephen barely registered it, as he was to concentrated on his tongue meeting Karl's. His body felt like it was singing. 

When they did pull apart, he gasped. Karl’s right side was covered with bruises. 

“How did you do that?”

“Sparing. Some of the younger guys don’t know how hard they actually hit sometimes.”

Stephen’s hands touched the darkest areas of purple.

“Doesn’t it hurt?” Stephen asked.

“It only hurts if you lose,” Karl joked.

Stephen knew that they were only bruises, but they still looked nasty. His hands ran over Karl's skin and muscles. He looked like he had come out of an anatomy book, with almost every part defined. 

“Gods, you’re magnificent.” 

Stephen was practically drooling. He had always tried to keep fit, but over the past few months he had become too thin, and he felt inadequate next to Karl.

Karl leaned in kissing him again, guiding Stephen back onto the bed. His hip pinned against Stephen’s, as he started to unbutton Stephen’s pants. Stephen did the rest of the work for him, squirming to push them off, along with his underwear. Karl pulled away to admire Stephen’s body.

“Do you like what you see?” Stephen asked breathlessly.

“Very much so,” Karl said.

He ran his hand over Stephen’s body, from his chest down to his knees. Their skin contrasting nicely even in the dim lighting. Stephen looked at the man’s serene face; his eyes seemingly focused on Stephen’s growing erection. His hand traveled back upwards, grasping its target, and Stephen let out a gasp. 

“How do you like it? Slow and gentle? Quick and rough?” Karl asked.

“Anyway I can get it.”

It was the honest answer. He didn’t really care as long as he was getting off. Karl smiled and leaned in, capturing Stephen’s bottom lip with his teeth. He slowly tugged at Stephen’s cock, applying just the right amount of pressure with each stroke. 

He gasped, “Karl.”

At one point Karl was able to shed his clothes without Stephen noticing. Stephen’s own hand moved downwards to return the other man’s attentions, but Karl grasped his wrists with his free hand, and pinned them above Stephen’s head. It had been so long since Stephen had been with someone, and this man obviously knew what he was doing. Letting go of his erection, Karl straddled his hips, and ground into them; his cock pressing against Stephen’s. He let out a moan, which was quickly muffled by a kiss. He wasn’t going to last long if he continued on like this. It was slow and steady, but he had wanted this man so badly. It was going to be over too quickly. 

“Oh god,” Stephen cried, breaking their kiss. 

“Should I stop?” Karl asked.

“No, no, please no.”

It was selfish of him, but he figured he had time to make it up to the man. Karl pushed their hips together a few more times, and Stephen came with a groan. When his senses came back to him, he managed to wriggle out from underneath Karl and switching their positions. Karl laid beneath him, looking at him as he slinked downward. 

“I haven’t wanted someone in a long time,” Karl confessed.

Karl’s hands slipped through his hair as Stephen's lips wrapped around the head of the man’s cock. Karl gasped at the sensation. Stephen’s tongue pressed against the underside, tracing the veins as he took in more of the man. He tasted delicious, and his deep guttural moans were music to Stephen’s ears. Although it was difficult to take in all of him, he was able to find a good rhythm. It was hard to believe that this perfect specimen of a man was his for the night.

“Ahh, Stephen.”

He felt Karl tense up, and reflexively Karl pushed his head down as he came. He tried his best to swallow it all, but some dribbled out of the sides of his mouth, as it surprised him. He sat up and moved to wipe his mouth with the back of his hands, but Karl stopped him. Instead, he licked around Stephen’s mouth before kissing him once again. 

“That was needed. I’ve been wanting to do that since I saw you,” Karl said. 

His confession barely registered, but Stephen had enough of his wits about him to be surprised. Maybe in his prime he was attractive with his confidence, his style, and wit, but these days he was not a catch. He was not as tidy in his appearance. He had lost his wealth and prestige, and had become a bit of a hermit. It was surprising that anyone would pay any attention to him at first glance.

Although they were still messy, Stephen curled against Karl with his head resting on the man’s chest. Karl was solid and warm, tightly gripping Stephen as he fell off to sleep. 

Stephen awoke to an empty bed, cold and uncomfortable. His hands were aching again. He held them together between his legs, the slight pressure helped a little with the pain, but it wasn't enough. 

Searching for his clothes, he stumbled across a note. 

_ Be back soon. -Karl _

Closing his eyes he tried to ignore the pain, seeing if he could bear it for a little while longer, until Karl came back. 

He didn’t have to wait long, and was glad when he saw the man enter the room. His whole body was covered in sweat, and his shirt clung to him tightly. 

Karl smiled at him.

“You’re still here.”

Stephen thought it was weird that he was surprised.

“Yea, I have to go later though.”

Stephen gave him a weak smile, as Karl threw off his t-shirt and stepped out of his shorts. He went into the bathroom and started a shower.  

“Aren't you coming?” He called.

Although Stephen was gripping one hand with the other, he couldn't resist the invitation, especially after the night they had together. He followed Karl into the very bathroom, where the man was already showering. Stephen removed the little clothing he was wearing, and joined him. 

Stephen leaned slightly backwards against the tile of the shower, and Karl put his leg in between Stephen's while capturing his mouth for a kiss. He took Stephen’s hands in his and repeated the same administrations he had that day at the office. It was like he had a six sense that Stephen had been hurting. 

“I told you the heat helps quite a bit,” Karl said when they broke apart. 

Stephen groaned from the various sensations assaulting his senses. Although he could feel the light buzz of pain, it was mixed with the pleasure that coursed through him. He could finally understand from a non-theoretical point of view why someone would take up sado-masochistic practices.

Letting the water roll over him, along with Karl's touches, felt rejuvenating. Suddenly it became harder to breath than before. He was grateful for the water hitting his face, hiding the tears that leaked from corners of his eyes. They weren't sad nor happy tears, just another kind of release. He felt relaxed, properly relaxed for the first time in ages. He let himself enjoy being intimate with another person. 

After they had finished, Karl turned off the shower and dried them both off.

“Feel better?” 

Stephen nodded. Something had changed inside of him. It was different from all the other days he had woken up on this planet, and although the pain was still there, it wasn’t prohibiting him from focusing on other things. He felt that the pressure that had been weighing on him was lifting.

They returned to the bed, still undressed, and Karl wrapped Stephen in his arms.

“This is my only day of rest, so that’s what I’m going to do. You are more than welcome to stay,” Karl urged.

“I do have to go back home this evening,” Stephen said.

“Well, I’ll try to keep you entertained until then,” Karl replied.

His tone was light and filled with amusement, and Stephen felt his lips press against Stephen’s cheek. 

\----

The next time they met was the last time Stephen was to work at the clinic, and although he was grateful for the experience of meeting all these people, he was looking forward to his hands hurting less. It was an uneventful afternoon, and he stayed until after close with Wong and Karl still working.

“You’re alright Strange. You still got a lot of problems, but you’re alright,” Wong reassured him.

“You’re not bad yourself,” Stephen laughed.

“You know you can always volunteer any time you want,” Karl added.

Stephen looked at him, trying to keep his expression neutral and friendly. 

Karl laughed at him, and he smiled. They heard a click noise and looked to see Wong with his phone out.

“Souvenir for your last day,” he remarked sending the picture to Stephen. 

Stephen checked his phone. It was a pretty good picture of him and Karl.

“I’m guessing this won’t be the last time we meet?” Wong asked. 

Stephen looked at Karl, who tried not to look at anyone.

“Never say never,” Karl mumbled. 

Wong packed up for the day, leaving the two of them alone. Stephen waited for Karl as he finished some paperwork. 

In the beginning he didn't think highly of Karl, or any of the others who worked at the clinic. He thought they lacked ability and that's why they worked at such a place, but slowly he came to understand that was not the case. They all had ability, but they didn't desire or just outright rejected the kind of lifestyle he once led. It was eye opening to say the least. His experience and his evolving relationship with Karl had really changed him. He looked over at the man in awe. Karl looked up at him, over his reading glasses, making eye contact.

“It will only be a minute.”

“It’s not that. I’ll just actually miss coming here.”

Karl smirked, “Like I said, you can always volunteer.”

“I won’t miss it that much.”

“I know that it was taxing on your hands, but I’m glad you came to us. I’m glad you came to me.”

“I feel likewise.”

Stephen got up and walked over to where Karl was sitting. Taking Karl’s papers and putting them to the side, he sat on the desk in front of him, and bent over to kiss him. It was a short kiss. 

“I have to finish those Stephen,” Karl warned. 

“I know this may scare you off, but you’re the best thing that’s happened to me in a long time.”

Karl was silently looking at him. Stephen felt nervous, as Karl didn’t respond. Maybe he was thinking of running.

“I am not an easy man. I do not do anything lightly, and it would take a lot more to scare me off than a confession like yours just now. Now if you had proposed, then I might have reconsidered and fled.”

Stephen smiled. He felt like his luck was changing for the better.


End file.
